THE ZEN GARDEN…A STRESS RELIEVING GARDENING STYLE

Tranquil. Peaceful. Calming. Elegant. The term the Japanese use for a Zen garden is “karensansui” and it means dry landscape. To achieve this look, a merging of gravel, rocks and boulders are used to create a vision that represents islands and mountains surrounded by an imagery of flowing water.  A Zen Garden is not a Japanese Garden. There are differences in the two. A Zen Garden will not include a pond, but a Japanese Garden typically will.

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PLANT OF THE WEEK – CANDY APPLE HYDRANGEA

Everyone loves a pretty hydrangea bush. Right? We certainly do, and nothing excites us as much as a new variety.  Candy Apple is just that plant. If you’re familiar with Limelight, then you’ll love Candy Apple. It has the same stunning lime green clusters that you see on Limelight, but with a much more compact form.

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COLOR TO MAKE YOUR SUMMER SCREAM… THE BRIGHTEST FLOWERS FOR YOUR SUMMER LANDSCAPE

Everyone loves the color that summer flowers bring to their yard. Whether you plant in the ground, in containers, or in hanging baskets, it’s the color of flowers that brings the excitement. Who doesn’t love a day spent at the nursery discovering new plants or remembering old favorites? We spent the past couple of weekends visiting a few of our favorite nurseries and these are the plants that caught our eye.

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LOW MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING – PLANTS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

No one can deny that having a yard that looks admirable, enviable or approachable requires some level of maintenance. Often way more maintenance than you may be interested in investing. One way to cut back on the amount of time you need to spend on your landscape each week is to choose low maintenance plants for your landscaping. A favorite for both color and smell is lavender. It’s silvery leaves and purple blooms make it a lovely addition for any style garden, but it’s also extremely hardy and requires minimal attendance during the growing season. There are several varieties to choose from, some more compact than others.  Munstead is a compact shrub with mounding silver foliage and an abundance of blooms that create a border that’s a blanket of purple. Hidcote is another attractive variety.

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YOUR HOME’S FIRST IMPRESSION SHOULD ALWAYS SAY “WELCOME.”

When someone walks or drives past your home, does its exterior make them pause and want to visit or does it make them gasp and want to keep on going?  Stand in the street in front of your house.  If it wasn’t your home, how would you feel about walking up to the front door?  Perhaps it’s time to make some changes to your landscape. There are numerous ways to make your home more inviting.  How can you improve your front yard?  Does it involve your door?  Your porch?  The overall landscape?  With a little thought, your home can invite people to stop in, with or without the welcome sign.  

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HELLO THERE COLD WEATHER ! LANDSCAPING CHECKLIST FOR FEBRUARY.

The February checklist for your yard. *Starts your seeds for the cool season vegetables & flowers. *Check your plants and tress for damage. During the cold months, animals can damage your plants when trying to escape the cold. *It’s a good time to start looking for pots and planters. Some stores still have last year’s merchandise to get rid of, and the bargains can be strong. *Cut back your liriope and other perennials now. It will get them ready to grow in the spring. *Prune your dormant trees and shrubs, but leave those spring bloomers alone. *It’s a good time to plant those larger B&B bushes and trees. *Give your holly bushes a hard prune this time of year.

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